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Matthew Rudnick MBA '04

Matthew A. Rudnick, ‘04 is at the top of his game. He leads business development for MHT Partners, an investment banking firm based in Dallas with offices in Boston, Mass., and previously did the same for Capstone Partners. Much of his career success; however, he attributes not only to luck and hard work, but also having an MBA degree from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College. "The faculty and deans, the courses and the friendships I made in my two year degree were life changing and dramatic,” he says.

Combining an English background with Finance
At the Boston College Club in Downtown Boston this April, Rudnick described how he entered the Carroll School in 2002 with an unlikely CV for an MBA program. His undergraduate bachelor’s degree was in English from Middlebury College. He worked in sales, but he wanted more education as he saw competition heating up for the best jobs. He knew he wanted an MBA.

He chose the Carroll School because of its impressive national reputation and because of its strong financial ties. When visiting Fulton Hall as a prospective student he grew more impressed, not just with the gorgeous campus and regal buildings but with the feeling of the students and faculty. “I found a huge sense of integrity among the faculty and the student ambassadors. This isn’t just lip service either. There is a genuine desire among those at the Carroll School to act in an ethical manner and to help each other.”

What Rudnick got out of his MBA
Rudnick took general management courses and supplemented this with studies in entrepreneurial management and marketing. He also learned a lot from his International Consulting project which he and his classmates spent a semester on, culminating in a trip to Bangkok, Thailand. This entailed executing and developing a full marketing plan and then traveling to present their findings, in person, to Japanese managers. “Initially we all felt very intimidated," Rudnick recalls. “They were quiet and outnumbered us severely. But once we explained our case, they ate it up. This was wonderful – definitely a highlight of my MBA studies.”

Another highlight for Rudnick was his academic internship over the summer and into his second year. This meant working 30 hours a week at EMC Corporation as he completed his MBA. Having this flexibility to work while he studied was instrumental in landing a full-time job after graduation and Matt adds, “The BC network is second to none in the Boston area.”

How he uses his MBA studies today
Now seven years after graduating, Rudnick still enjoys his work as an investment banker. He finds the work creative. He enjoys the thrill of seeking out new clients and researching how to make a company greater through investment or opportunities they hadn’t thought of, because this, he believes, is the essence of good investment banking. “We must discover a company’s true value, their secret sauce. We must learn whether everyone within the company is motivated to make the company great long-term or could the company benefit from growth capital or leadership augmentation,” he says.

In doing all of this, the basic MBA curriculum at the Carroll School consistently and continually comes in handy. He also finds the leadership opportunities he had in student government very helpful. This gave him confidence as a public speaker and in event planning. As part of his business development role Rudnick frequently hosts events on behalf of MHT Partners and is often a guest panelist at other conferences. "I owe so much to the Carroll School," he says. "I feel honored to have studied there.”